


Shattered Heart

by theatergal33



Category: Raya and the Last Dragon (2021)
Genre: Combat, F/F, Intrigue
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-15
Updated: 2021-03-21
Packaged: 2021-03-23 02:00:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,093
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30048201
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theatergal33/pseuds/theatergal33
Summary: This is the beginning of my Raymaari fanfiction! Raya and Namaari are at Talon's marketplace, but someone is lurking in the shadows. Who are they, and what are the two girls doing in Talon? Read to find out! Comments and constructive criticism are appreciated :)
Relationships: friendship/love - Relationship, warriors - Relationship
Comments: 19
Kudos: 66





	1. An Unexpected Battle

Namaari knew she was being watched.  
She knew even through the bustling marketplace of Talon, through the vivid colors, aromas, and constant cacophony of chatter. The warrior princess of Fang was used to knowing exactly how she would best her enemy, since over the last six years she had to either fight, or die. Her reflexes and instincts were second to none, and she hated feeling vulnerable. Vulnerable could get you killed.  
“Hey, you okay?” Raya asked, giving her friend a light shove. It was only then that Namaari realized that Raya had been staring at her for who knows how long. “I’ve been calling your name for the last two minutes!”  
“Sorry, Raya,” Namaari responded. “Just distracted, I guess.”  
“It’s not like you to be caught off guard,” the princess of Heart said mockingly.  
“Have you gone soft on me?”  
“Oh, shove off.”  
She punched Raya in the arm, causing the other girl to laugh. It was such a sound of pure joy that it caused Namaari to stop in her tracks for a second. She was still getting used to being around Raya. That is, having interactions that didn’t involve the clanging of swords, vicious bruises, and oh yeah, the breaking of the world.  
“Come on, this way,” said Raya, grabbing Namaari by the hand and pulling her along. The Fang woman let the other girl guide her; Raya knew Talon a lot better than she did. Namaari didn’t want to be pickpocketed here. It’s not like she couldn’t stop them, but it would be a pain in the ass. Raya stopped next to a stall and that’s when Namaari felt it- a piercing glare boring into the back of her head. She whipped around, hand on her blade, but there was no one around.  
“Will you just relax? I know finding formal wear isn’t the best, but you look like you’re attending your own funeral.”  
Namaari forced a smile for Raya’s sake. The both of them despised formal outfits, but every so often they had to suck it up and wear them. The two of them both disappeared behind curtains to pick outfits. With only the slightest bit of deliberation, Namaari chose a gold jumpsuit with a white sash slung over her hips. It still allowed enough movement to fight, and quite frankly that was the only thing that mattered to her. Raya came out wearing a violet dress with silver accents that brought out her dark eyes and wavy brunette hair. When she saw her friend, the princess of Heart gasped.  
“Normally I don’t like balls, but the one-year anniversary of Kumandra’s unification is a pretty big deal. And you know, I always thought you were pretty,” she said.  
Namaari couldn’t explain the way her heart leapt at the compliment- a thing Raya didn’t often bestow, but she waved it off.  
“Thank you. You… you look nice, too.”  
Suddenly, Raya slapped herself on the forehead.  
“Shit. I completely forgot Sisu wanted me to get her a dress too. Will you wait for me?”  
Without waiting for an answer, she disappeared among the vendors. Namaari laughed. Once Raya made up her mind, there was no changing it. Namaari paid for her purchase and was just about to ask the saleswoman a question when-  
“Little one, are you lost?”  
A big, burly man that resembled Tong in stature was standing at the stall- and he was staring straight at Namaari. He looked to be from Spine. The Fang princess didn’t like his voice- it was saturated with too much sweetness. So Namaari did the only thing her instincts told her to do. 

She ran. 

With a throbbing, beating heart, she dodged stalls and people that seemed to leap out of nowhere. Namaari felt blood rushing to her head. She couldn’t explain why that man was terrifying. She only knew she had to get out of here.  
“Wait! Stop! I won’t hurt you!”  
She rounded a corner and got stuck in an alleyway- a dead end.  
Where’s Raya? We really should have stuck together in this marketplace!  
The man had caught up to her, and he was scrutinizing the Fang warrior with a proximity that scared Namaari. But she lifted her head proudly, whipping out her swords.  
“You know what I have to say to that?” She gave a cold laugh.  
“Go suck it, binturi.”  
With a warrior’s yell, the man charged at her. He was strong, but Namaari was deft and fast. She parried his blocks with quick, short strikes that left her barely winded.  
“Is that all you’ve got? I have to admit, it’s disappointing.”  
He laughed.  
“Trust me, little one, there are many people who would pay a high price for your head.”  
The man charged again. It was soon clear to Namaari that he had been holding back, not unlike what Chief Virana had done while training her daughter. Namaari soon got disarmed, and resorted to hand-to-hand combat. She landed punches on his arms, shoulders, legs- and then tried to kick her opponent’s thigh. It was the exact same move she used on Raya when they fought in Spine, and Namaari realized it was the wrong decision the second before she did it. The warrior grabbed her leg, flipping Namaari down to the ground. She smacked the pavement hard before he attacked her again. The Fang warrior defended herself as best she could, but her opponent’s blows were like the bludgeoning of an axe. Each one was harder than the last, until he punched her in the solar plexus. Namaari fell to her knees, struggling to breathe through the pain as he knelt down next to her.  
“Had enough, Namaari?”  
She spat blood in his face, and only then did it register.  
“How do you know my-”  
He chuckled.  
“That’s not for you to know. Well, won’t my mistress be pleased.”  
Then he hit Namaari on the back of the head and everything went black.


	2. Who Are You, Astraya?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Namaari comes to at an odd place. Where is she, and what does her captor want from her? Enjoy!

Namaari regained consciousness in a dark, barren, unfamiliar room. Slowly, her hearing and coordination began to return.  
Where am I? she thought.  
The worst thing about her new surroundings was the silence, an overwhelming, ominous quiet that somehow raised chilling goosebumps along her body. Namaari tried to move her arm, but it bumped up against something hard. There was just enough light for her to see the shackles.  
Chains. I’m chained to a wall.  
The binds held Namaari’s body firmly in place. They wouldn’t be easy to break, and she was already weak from the earlier battle on Talon. Still, the warrior princess began to struggle, pulling at the chains hard. Yet no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t break free. Worn out, Namaari collapsed panting against the wall. Her head was beginning to throb, and so were the cuts that peppered the rest of her body. Obviously some of them had reopened in her attempts to escape.  
“Don’t exhaust yourself,” said a voice, cold as ice. “I’m not one to show mercy.”  
The figure that slunk out from the shadows was a tall female. She was dressed in a sweeping black cloak that showed off strong muscles. A sheathed sword hung dangerously by her side, and a dark mask obscured her face so only her eyes, quick and fierce, were visible. She looked Namaari over and sighed.  
“I told Nurai not to harm you.”  
“He certainly follows orders well. Tell your warrior that I was actually looking forward to wearing this!” Namaari scoffed, looking down at her gold jumpsuit. The fabric was stained with blood and ruined beyond repair.  
Although she couldn’t see her captor’s face, Namaari knew she was baring her teeth.  
“Aren’t you feisty.”  
“You don’t want to cross me.”  
The woman laughed cruelly, the sound sending shivers down Namaari’s spine.  
“Oh, sweetheart, I know your kind.”  
“My kind?” the Fang woman asked, genuinely confused.  
The woman smiled like a venomous snake. “You put on a bravado, but secretly don’t let other people come near you. It hides how broken you really are. How guilty you feel for betraying the one who was kind to you.”  
If her swords hadn’t been confiscated, this woman would have hell to pay as far as Namaari was concerned. Anger darkened the Fang princess’s features. How dare she!  
“Shut up!” Namaari shouted. “You don’t know a single thing about me!”  
“Oh, but I do. I know everything about you and more. Why do you obsess so much over the past? I’ll tell you why. Because you’re too weak to face it!”  
The woman lunged forward as if coiled by a spring. Pulling out her sword, she slashed a deep cut on both of her captive’s legs. Namaari bit the inside of her cheek so hard she tasted blood, but she wouldn’t give this woman the satisfaction of crying out.  
“Why-” Namaari had to push the words past the growing lump in her throat. “Why do you need me?”  
The woman didn’t answer the question. Several heavy minutes of quiet hung in the air.  
“It’s time to listen to me now,” she finally said, a razor-sharp edge to her voice. “We don’t want to be disobedient. Do we, my little morning mist?”  
Namaari’s heart stopped beating; she stopped breathing altogether. Only one person in the world called her that, and she was back in Fang. The woman straightened up, removing her mask. Lustrous white hair cascaded to her waist, accented by chestnut skin. The feature that stopped Namaari dead, however, were her eyes, concluding what Namaari already knew. They were the same shade of dark brown as-  
“Yes, Namaari,” the woman said.  
“My name is Astraya. And I can’t wait to get revenge on my sister Virana now that I’ve captured you.”


	3. Fang’s Ball

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! Sorry for the little bit of a wait- school's been kicking my a** this week. This chapter is a BIG ONE! Raya is at the Fang ball with her ba, but she doesn't know what transpired with Namaari... 
> 
> What will happen? How will Virana react to a certain someone from her past? It's time to find out!
> 
> As always, your kind words and kudos mean the world to me ❤️

Raya had never been to a ball before, but it secretly delighted her. The palace of Fang was adorned with glowing gold lanterns, ocean blue garlands of stars, and five lilac flowers above the main hall entrance that symbolized the unification of Kumandra. Fireflies flitted around guests from all lands, adding a little extra light and magic to the coming evening. A large crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling, which slightly worried the princess of Heart. She couldn’t help but think it was going to fall down. As Raya descended the palace stairs with her ba, wearing the violet and silver dress she’d picked out in Talon earlier, nervousness weighed upon her. Leaping into a fight with sword in hand didn’t faze her one bit, but small talk? Dancing? Chief Benja had taught his daughter as best he could, but Raya still paled at the thought of an actual dance.  
“Don’t worry,” her ba said, seeming to read her mind.  
“You’ve got the best partner here.”  
He tapped her nose affectionately.  
“Besides, you can always ask your friend if you forget the steps.”  
“Ba,” Raya warned, but it was true. Namaari had proven to be far more graceful and poised than Raya could ever be. Speaking of her friend, the princess of Heart hadn’t seen her since they were in Talon earlier. It was extremely unlike the other woman to be late for anything. Then again, Raya- and probably the whole palace- knew that parties weren’t exactly Namaari’s thing.  
But why wouldn’t Namaari let me know where she is?  
Her ba touched Raya’s arm, snapping her from her thoughts.  
“You look stunning tonight, dewdrop. I love you.”  
Sometimes, late at night, Raya wondered how she endured six years without hearing those three words. Without seeing that loving smile, focused solely on her as if she was the only thing in the world that mattered.  
“I love you too, Ba. May I?”  
She gestured toward the dance floor, and her ba laughed.  
“Your wish is my command, darling.”  
Arm in arm, the two stepped onto the dance floor. The orchestra- containing instruments called a violin, viola, cello, and piano- played the beginning of a waltz. Her ba took Raya gently by the waist and guided her steps effortlessly, with dexterity and grace. All Raya had to do was follow. She didn’t trip over her own feet like she thought she would, and she felt a huge smile taking over her face. For once in her life, Raya felt happy. For once, Raya felt at peace. When the song ended, she wrapped her ba in a hug. He returned it, obviously touched by the moment as well.  
“Thank you,” Chief Benja said, never taking his eyes from his daughter.  
“What for?”  
“Just thank you, baby girl.”  
“I see the princess of Heart is a rather outstanding dancer,” said a friendly voice.  
Raya and her ba bowed respectfully to Chief Virana of Fang.  
“Oh, I’m not,” Raya responded, looking meaningfully at her ba. “I just have the best partner.”  
Virana laughed, a sweet bell-like sound.  
“You’re just as humble and kind as your father, young princess,” the older woman said. “If you’ll excuse me, I have to send a handmaiden to fetch my own daughter.”  
Now it was Raya’s turn to laugh.  
“Chief Virana, she’s probably riding Kazu.”  
Whenever Namaari wanted to be alone, she was almost always riding her cat. Raya liked to joke that she spent more time with Kazu than the Heart princess.  
Namaari’s mother smiled at her.  
“I see why she spends so much time with you,” the Fang chief said thoughtfully. “You’re a lot like her. Enjoy yourselves, the both of you.”  
Virana tactfully took her leave. Raya parted with her ba for a second to fetch a meat kabob. Munching on it, the young woman surveyed the ballroom. She watched the people of Kumandra dance and Boun, who was trying to flirt with a girl. The Ongis and Noi skittered around, trying to prank people. Raya’s friends’ antics made her smile, and she went back to her ba right as Virana mounted the stage at the room’s center.  
The musicians hushed and couples quieted, looking at the chief of Fang with awe.  
“People of Kumandra, we are gathered here tonight to celebrate our unity.”  
Her voice, strong and clear, filled the space.  
“A year ago, a very brave few dared to collect the dragon Sisudatu’s gem pieces and create Kumandra again. These few include Raya of Heart, Captain Boun, little Noi, the Ongis, and my daughter Namaari, if she will grace us with her presence.”  
Laughter rippled through the crowd at that, but a feeling of uneasiness enveloped Raya. She’d assumed Namaari had caught a ride back to Fang, but what if she hadn’t?  
Something’s not right here. I can feel it.  
“We must take what they have accomplished and continue the legacy that was so hard fought for-”  
CRACK!  
The crystal chandelier above Virana swayed dangerously, then snapped!  
Guests screamed, their voices merging into one horrible cry. Driven by pure instincts, Raya cut through the crowd. She shoved Virana out of harm’s way a split second before the chandelier shattered on the ground.  
“Raya!”  
Her ba ran to her, quickly checking her body.  
“Are you alright? Were you hurt?”  
“I’m fine. I think the chief of Fang is too.”  
The guests looked at each other, horrified. Suddenly, the lights darkened. The fireflies began to drop to the ground, dead.  
“Ba- what’s going-”  
A hologram shot up into view, depicting a woman with straight white hair and a compact, cruel face that scared Raya. But what scared her even more was Virana’s face, and the word she rasped through dry lips.  
“Astraya?”  
“It’s good to see you again, sister. I have a proposal for you,” the woman said coolly.  
“I will have nothing to do with you!” Virana yelled. All of her earlier composure was gone; there was nothing but hate in her eyes.  
“You won’t? Oh, dear sister, but I have a little bit of leverage this time.”  
The camera switched to a chained figure, and Raya collapsed into her ba’s arms when she recognized the girl’s undercut.  
It was Namaari.  
Cuts and other various wounds were bleeding all over her body; her face was pale and waxen. Even through the hologram, her eyes held raw, naked fear.  
“Don’t listen to her, Mother-”  
Astraya grabbed Namaari roughly by the hair, cutting off her words. The Fang princess jerked her head, trying to escape. Her captor only held tighter and Raya’s friend let out a scream of pain.  
“If you want to see your daughter again, Virana, face me. You know where I am.”  
The hologram disappeared. Raya was so scared for Namaari, she couldn’t move. Icy, cold fear choked her by the throat. All the princess of Heart could see was Virana, standing in the middle of a destroyed ballroom as her entire body trembled with long-forgotten pain. There was only one thought in Raya’s mind:  
I’m going to get Namaari out of there. No matter what it takes.


	4. Painful Family Ties

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What is going to happen to Namaari now that Astraya captured her? There's A LOT GOING ON in this chapter! A warning to all you lovely readers: there are some depictions of violence, so a little bit of viewer discretion is advised. As always, your kind words and kudos mean the world to me :)

After Astraya revealed herself to Chief Virana, Namaari was reeling. How was her mother going to react, and what about Raya? Namaari knew the princess of Heart was worried sick about her.  
Although Astraya had unchained Namaari from the wall earlier and bound her to a chair, which provided the tiniest bit of relief for her circulation-starved limbs, her mother’s sister tied the bonds tightly and expertly. The Fang princess looked at her captor, who was lovingly polishing her sword, still stained scarlet with Namaari’s blood.  
“Who are you, Astraya?” she rasped.  
The woman’s head snapped up, looking at Namaari with chagrin as if she forgot the younger woman was even there.  
“I’m your mother’s sister.”  
“Yeah, I heard that the first time. Who are you, really?”  
Even captured and fully at Astraya’s whim, Namaari was still a warrior. If she could get Astraya to talk and fully push her buttons, maybe she could distract her captor long enough to untie the knots holding her in place. A smile threatened to cross her face; Namaari had a lot of practice annoying someone over the last six years. That is, annoying someone named Raya.  
“I’ll ask again,” Namaari said in a bored tone. “Who are you?”  
“You don’t seem particularly interested.”  
“It’s not like I have anything else to do at the moment.”  
Astraya gave Namaari a long look, sizing her up. At the same time, the Fang princess surreptitiously slipped one of her bound hands up the rope. Her deft fingers searched for a weak spot.  
Come on. Take the bait, Namaari thought fiercely. Just when she thought Astraya knew what she was up to, the white-haired woman sighed.  
“I’ll start at the beginning. Growing up, I was always in Virana’s shadow. Anything I could do, she could do better.”  
“I know how that feels,” Namaari said. She meant it too. Back when her and Raya were enemies, it seemed like the other girl was always one step ahead. Namaari cocked her finger slightly behind her, and felt the rope’s grip release just a little bit.  
“I was jealous,” Astraya said. “Jealous of the attention Virana received. She was only four years older than me, but it felt like much more than that. I trained to the point of exhaustion, ready to prove myself at a moment’s notice, but I never got the chance.”  
Astraya laughed, but there was no humor in the sound. If she wasn’t a heartless binturi, Namaari would feel sorry for her.  
“It wasn’t until we were grown that I found out the truth.”  
Sadness and a hint of anger penetrated Astraya’s words. Namaari probed the rope a little, and it slackened considerably. She twisted in the chair a little to cover it up- almost free.  
“My mother married a pauper and had me. Then, she dumped him without an ounce of remorse and married her betrothed, a rich man all of Fang expected her to wed. Shortly after that, Virana was born.”  
“Wait,” Namaari said. Her mind was suddenly whirring at a sickening pace.  
“If you’re the eldest, than that means-”  
The words “I’m not the legitimate heir” got stuck in her throat, but Astraya didn’t seem to notice.  
“After Fang’s council of elders found out, I was banished here to live out the rest of my days in torturous solitude,” Astraya said.  
“But now with you here, I will finally face my sister again. You, Namaari, are the key to my return.”  
Namaari laughed, and that’s when she let the ropes finally fall away. She stood up on shaking legs.  
“Go find someone else to help with your dirty little schemes,” the princess of Fang spat.  
She tried to run, but Astraya kicked her in the leg, knocking her to the ground. The landing was hard enough to knock the wind from Namaari’s lungs as Astraya pressed her captive’s hands above her head and overpowered her. The younger woman fell to her knees as she was wrestled to the ground. Both of them were panting heavily, glaring at each other.  
“Why-” Namaari managed to gasp. “Why are you doing this?”  
Instead of answering, Astraya roughly hauled Namaari up by the arm. She flipped a switch, and the room was all of a sudden bathed in light. She led her to what looked like a folding table, but Namaari knew better. Fear pulsated through her body as Astraya strapped her to the torture device, tightening metal bonds around her arms and legs. A strap at the top clamped onto her head.  
“I want you to understand that I’m nothing like your mother,” Astraya hissed. Her eyes were terrifying, wide and feral. Namaari tried to look anywhere but at that piercing gaze, but she was fully pinned down. There was nowhere to go.  
“Now, my darling, you are going to tell me all about Virana’s weaknesses. Or else… well, you’ll find that out soon enough.”  
Fingering a small device, Astraya attached it to Namaari’s wrist. When she switched it on, all the princess of Fang could do was scream from the searing pain. For how long this went on, Namaari didn’t know. She was only conscious of nothing but pain, pain so immediate and horrible it blurred her vision and blocked out all her senses. Any time she tried to concentrate on her mother’s loving face or Raya’s kind one, the images disappeared underneath a new wave of agony. When it finally stopped, Astraya clicked her teeth in disappointment.  
“I’ll let you reflect on this for a little while, my little morning mist,” she said with a sneer in her voice.  
“Don’t make the wrong decision.”  
She disappeared through a back door, leaving her captive alone and bound. Namaari’s head pulsated from the metal bonds, and she couldn’t move even the little she was allowed without immediate, crushing pain. Her entire body was on fire. Sweat dripped into her eyes and she turned her head a little, trying to brush it off. Eventually Namaari stopped feeling thirsty or starving. As she felt a burning fever coming on, the princess of Fang felt herself slowly slipping away from reality- slipping into oblivion.  
“Please,” Namaari whispered to the void of darkness that closed around her.  
“Please, Raya… help me.”


	5. The Rescue Plan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's the time you've been waiting for, my lovely readers! Despite tension at the ball, Chiefs Virana and Benja, along with Raya and the royal army of Fang, are devising a plan to rescue Namaari! What is it? Read to find out! 
> 
> As always, your kind words and kudos mean the world to me :)

The ball was all but forgotten after Astraya’s hologram. Guests looked at each other in fear for the princess of Fang, but there was something else in their eyes that made Raya uneasy. Her ba hugged her tightly and Raya nestled into the embrace, just like when she was younger and cried because she doubted her skills as a guardian of the dragon gem. Benja wiped his daughter’s cheek gently and that’s when Raya realized she’d been crying.  
“Dewdrop, I’m so sorry-”  
“How do we know Astraya wasn’t sent by Tail?” hollered a dark-haired Fang woman, her face darkening with anger.  
“What do you have against Tail?” a burly man retorted. “I think Spine’s the most suspicious here!”  
With everyone’s emotions pushed to a breaking point, the guests at Fang’s ball began to scream at each other. Each one tried to pin the blame of Namaari’s capture on another formal, rival land. It was true that every realm was united as Kumandra once again, but it didn’t mean that all the festering wounds made over the last five hundred years were cauterized and healed like new. Just because Kumandra was united, it didn’t mean the still-simmering distrust among the five realms was suddenly gone. Watching the arguments unfold, Raya felt something inside of her break.  
“Heart collaborated with Astraya-”  
“Spine’s mercenaries were involved-”  
“Assassins from Talon captured the princess-”  
“ENOUGH!” Raya screamed, the word ripping from her throat like physical pain. Sure of herself and filled with passion, the princess of Heart disengaged from her ba’s arms and mounted the stage where Chief Virana still stood. Her yell had sufficiently caught everyone’s attention- the ball guests were quiet, waiting for the girl to speak.  
“People of Kumandra…” Raya began, then fell silent.  
“I… uh, I’m not good at diplomatic speeches, but here goes.”  
A soft laugh behind her caught Raya’s attention. Virana approached the girl and laid a strong hand on her shoulder in support. It reminded her so much of Namaari the day they banished the Druun that Raya got choked up. No. She wouldn’t lose it in front of all these people. Taking a deep breath, Raya cleared her throat.  
“I know we are all in shock by what has transpired, especially Chief Virana. But we cannot allow personal hostility from the last five centuries to cloud our judgement. We must stand to face this situation as Kumandra, not as five separate realms. And I, like all of you, am scared for the princess of Fang. Namaari…”  
Raya swallowed hard, forcing the next words out through a voice thick with unshed tears.  
“Namaari is my best friend, and I would do anything to get her back. I am going to do everything in my power to bring her home safely. That is why Chief Virana is going to tell me and the royal army of Fang exactly where her daughter is being held.”  
Virana looked slightly surprised, but brushed it off almost immediately.  
“The princess of Heart’s words speak true. I say this not only as a commanding officer, but as a mother- I will commit to this rescue plan fully, with all my heart and soul.”  
She looked into Raya’s eyes and smiled, a true, genuine one that warmed the princess of Heart.  
“You truly are your father’s daughter, Princess Raya.”  
A tentative clap resonated throughout the ballroom, then increased until it grew into a long, loud roar of approval. After the applause died down, Virana took Raya by the arm.  
“I will ask the princess of Heart, Chief Benja, and the royal army of Fang to follow me. The rest of you, return to your homes.”  
The ball guests began to disperse as the royal army, Raya, and her father fell in step behind Namaari’s mother. They entered into the military wing of the palace and turned into an open, expansive white room with plenty of space for drawing and discussing plans. The royal army stood at attention at the back as Virana walked to the room’s center; Raya and her ba followed the chief of Fang. Once they were all assembled, Virana spoke.  
“Astraya is my estranged sister. I had forgotten all about her…well, I thought I solved that problem years ago.”  
She shook her head, as if to ward off unwanted thoughts.  
“To get to the point, I know exactly where the princess is being held.”  
She spread a piece of canvas along the floor, drawing out an intimidating-looking building and holding it up for all to see.  
“My mother banished Astraya to the outskirts of Kumandra, inside a desolate fortress,” Virana said. “That is where Namaari is being held.”  
Raya spoke up; the whole thing sounded too easy to her.  
“Chief Virana, the place is probably crawling with guards.”  
Virana shook her head again.  
“Astraya needs only me. She doesn’t have a use for Namaari other than to harm her.”  
The woman’s voice broke slightly on the last couple of words, but she steeled herself.  
“Princess Raya will penetrate the fortress and rescue my daughter. I will send ten of the best soldiers, including General Atitaya, along to enforce her. The rest of the army will stay stationed at the outskirts, ready to fight at a moment’s notice. We don’t know what other enemies are out there.”  
Raya nodded; the plan made perfect sense. Astraya was least likely to know her. The less familiar she was to Virana’s sister the greater the chance Heart’s princess would have to get Namaari out safely.  
“Any questions?” Virana asked.  
Silence reigned in the room.  
“Very well, then. We leave in five minutes.”  
One soldier at the back piped up.  
“Chief Virana, I have a wife and two daughters-”  
“Then see them before you go, soldier. Anyone who is not back here in time will no longer be considered part of the army. My daughter’s life is on the line, and I will not tolerate any weakness or cowardice.”  
The army nodded as one, taking their leave. Chief Benja smiled and left as well, promising Raya he’d be back soon. Virana looked at Raya, and the princess of Heart saw vulnerability, an aching pain for her daughter that the ruler of Fang was trying so hard to mask.  
“Excuse me, Princess Raya. I need to be alone for a minute.”  
Virana all but ran from the room. Raya knew she would go along the hallways looking poised and ladylike, as her position demanded. But she would cry once she was alone. Raya left the military room as well; she would need to get her sword and Tuk Tuk. Sisu probably knew all about Namaari’s plight by now, but if she didn’t Raya was not keen on telling her. She didn’t want to upset her dragon friend. Once Raya was back in her room, she pulled her blade from the wall and drew a cloak around her shoulders. It was then that everything crashed into her like a tidal wave. Raya’s knees buckled, and she sank to her bed. For just a little bit, the princess of Heart allowed herself to weep for her friend. It wasn’t until she felt uncomfortably numb and cold that Raya knew she had to go. She stood up, making sure her sword was in place one last time.  
Then she was gone, walking down the palace of Fang’s corridors to find Chief Virana and the royal army.  
“Just hang on, dep la,” she said into the quiet. “I’m coming.”


End file.
